This invention relates to an apparatus adapted for automatic handling of electrodes in electrolytic cells used for the electrolytic refining of metals in an electrolytic metal production plant.
In the electrolytic refining of a metal such as lead or copper, anodes of crude metal and cathodes of pure metal used for depositing of the desired metal are alternately disposed in electrolytic cells containing an aqueous solution of a salt of the desired metal. These anodes and cathodes are arranged in such a relationship that a predetermined inter-electrode distance is always maintained therebetween. These electrodes are replaced by fresh ones after the electrolysis is carried out over a predetermined period of time, and such electrode replacement is repeated to obtain the desired electrodeposited metal.
The replacement of these electrodes has heretofore been resorted to means such as an overhead travelling crane having a span equal to the span of the cell room or a hoist suspended from the ceiling structure of the cell room. It has therefore been necessary to accurately position the crane or hoist for travelling movement, traversing movement, turning movement, rolling movement and vertical movement. It has further been necessary to make manual fine adjustment of such relative positions due to the fact that these relative positions are variable depending the individual electrolytic cells resulting in impossibility of automation of this position adjustment.
The electrodes are generally disposed in the electrolytic cells in such limited condition that they are relatively slightly spaced from each other, and these electrodes must often be simultaneously handled. Especially, in the case of the electrolytic refining of a metal such as lead or copper, it is frequently required to handle both the anodes and the cathodes simultaneously for replacement by fresh one. The clamping means of the conventional crane or hoist has not been sufficiently suitable for the simultaneous handling of the electrodes, and efficient and useful means capable of automatically simultaneously handling the electrodes has been demanded.